Give it Time
by boombamfirepower
Summary: Ten and Eleven have a little talk about their pasts and futures. Set after day of the Doctor.


A/N: So, this is basically a conversation that 10 and 11 have about their pasts and futures. Set during/after Day of the Doctor. One-shot. Enjoy!

Ten liked to think his TARDIS was the best friend. Slightly discolored, with yellowing windows, his girl was always there with him. Now, looking at the "new" TARDIS of his future self, he felt something akin to jealousy. Eleven must have noticed, because he bumped his shoulder lightly.

"They are the same thing, you know." Eleven said quietly. He glanced over to Clara, who was speaking with the eighth, to make sure she couldn't hear.

"I know, it's just-" Ten couldn't think of the right way to describe it, "it's hard to come to terms with. I mean, _that's_ my TARDIS." He gestured to the older one. "But yours is older. It's seen more places, met new people, new companions. It still looks so new. It's like it was never even mine." He trailed off until the end of his sentence was nothing more than a whisper.

"The TARDIS is all of ours. We have changed the world time and time again using her. And the people-" He broke off. Despite having lost Amy and Rory a long time ago, it still ached his heart. They all did. Amy, Rory, River, Martha, Donna, Sarah Jane, they all made his hearts hurt.

Ten looked at him. "Does it still hurt?" Eleven frowned, unsure of what he was talking about. "Rose." Eleven shifted uncomfortably. "Does it ever get better?"

He could remember now when he had done this as number Ten. His past self must have just recently lost Rose. Feeling a long lost ache in his chest, he decided to reply with a happy statement.

"Oh, you have no idea." Eleven chuckled. His face fell and his chuckles faded into silence. "Rose will always be the one that got away. That's the curse, though, isn't it? All of our companions only stay for a short while. There isn't anything we can do but keep them safe as long as we can."

Ten nodded his agreement. He glanced over to Clara, and then back to Eleven. "Do you like her?" He said with a sly grin.

"What do you mean by that, sand shoes?"

"I mean, has there been anyone since?" He bumped eleven with his shoulder mischievously. "Any girlfriends? Wives?" He laughed until he saw Eleven's face.

"A wife? Who?"

"Spoilers." Eleven's face had grown dark. River's death was something parts of him had not come to terms with. It weighed heavily on his mind and his heart. Ten was not ready to hear about that, memory erasing or not.

"Wait-" Ten frowned. He had heard that somewhere before.

Just as he was about to say something, Clara announced "You boys want tea?"

"Yes." "In a minute." The two spoke simultaneously. Clara shrugged and set down the teacup she was grabbed Eleven and pulled him close so they wouldn't be heard.

"I've heard that before." He said urgently.

"What? Tea?" Eleven tried to keep his cool, not even realizing until that moment he had slipped. He cursed internally.

"Spoilers." Eleven went quiet, trying to dodge the imploring looks from his younger self.

"It's a common phrase?" He shrugged, his voice rising a few octaves out of stress.

"River." When Ten saw the recognition flash across Eleven's face, he knew. He let the man go. "River?"

Eleven sighed. "Yeah, River." His face fell slightly. Ten looked at him in disbelief.

"But, I don't understand. She's dead?"

"Spoilers." Eleven replied again. Understanding came across Ten's face. He nodded slowly.

"The hope the future does get better." Eleven said quietly. Ten looked to him. "I wonder what's in store for me."

"Oh, you know, saving humans. Dodging a never end of creatures that should have been dead already. Time wimey stuff." Ten shrugged with a chuckle.

"Yeah," Eleven replied, looking a little bit happier, "You know us, causing all sorts of trouble."

"You two are known for it." Clara said from the bench. The boys went over and let her pour them a cup of tea. There was no more talk of Rose or River, but when Ten stepped inside his lovely blue box, they shared a knowing look.

When he was gone, Eleven shook his head slightly with a smile. He was going to be just fine.

When Ten returned to his own timestream, he had forgotten everything. The TARDIS, _his_ TARDIS, landed him on a side street in London. He stepped out into the cold with a blank memory, in fact, he wasn't even sure how he had gotten there. This didn't stop him though. He still stepped out onto the street, locked the TARDIS door, and made his way down the street with a feeling he had not had in a very long while.

Hope.

A/N: Thanks for reading!


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